Words: Rohan Minhas | Photos: Loretta Rodrigues
It was only last September that Esme Emerson were here at Omeara supporting Liang Lawrence. Now they’ve taken to the same stage for their first official headline tour. This full-circle occasion created such an incredible night in London. It showed no matter how far they’ve come, it’s still the start of something special as the faces of queer indie.
The show was phenomenal, with chemistry so powerful it makes you want to start a band with your own sibling. This was truly a family affair: Their Mum crocheting merch and their Dad driving them around the UK further added to the warm, personal atmosphere that surrounded everyone. The energy was unmatched from the start. It was so nice to see so much of the Asian diaspora supporting in the crowd. The audience was clear evidence of the welcoming, intimate fandom the band has created. Everyone vibed together without a care for all the problems of the outside world.
Jo from School and her elite array of unreleased songs proved to be the perfect opener choice. A special shout out here to the community’s own Emily Tran as both the bassist and backing vocalist. Jo’s constant humour, farmyard references, and sheer gratitude at playing her biggest venue yet really resonated with the audience. Everyone left with a new favourite artist to keep an eye on this year. She and the band were captivating. A testament to the beauty of underground music.
Esme Emerson kicked off in style with ‘Together’. The room was electric from the get-go. Singing back the chorus ‘let’s be down together’, the pure joy of everyone’s voices was an accumulation of the show’s anticipation. This was followed by another hit single from the Applesauce EP, ‘Yard’. Again, everyone was heavily involved in the chorus. It’s a signature style of the band to have repetitive and fun choruses, which are ideal for live music. Both Esme and Emerson’s vocals shone, as fans could not stand still singing along in unison.
Pride and appreciation was a common themes throughout the show. Emerson was lost for words off the back of everyone’s adoring response, and could only get out the words ‘wassup’. The tone shifted as ‘Normal’ and ‘Big Tough Guy’ were performed. It allowed the crowd to appreciate their full artistic range, while we almost recuperated for the other hit singles that were to follow. It’s by going back to their sophomore EP with tracks like like ‘Fade Out’ you can clearly see a song’s connection with fans. Observing everyone’s reactions to the lyrics ‘I don’t want to fade out’ was amazing to watch.
While ‘My Head Is Full’ was met with great acclaim, ‘Please’ stole the show. This was met with cheers by the LGBTQIA+ community and allies. ‘Please’ is a raw and vulnerable song, exploring the complexities of young love in such a poignant manner. Like their magnum opus, it felt like time stood still when it was played. Everyone was sharing this beautiful moment together. It may sound impossible to follow, yet ‘Stay’ live was incredible. Due to its jazzy instrumentals, the performance was re-imagined and stripped back. A slowed-down acoustic version gave extra power to the direct lyrics. It was the ideal showcase of their talent. They joked that we should dance as if there were a jazzy beat. Instead, the room just stood still as we watched in awe.
Esme Emerson continued their emotional theme with ‘Pigeon Song’ and ‘Centipede’. It felt bittersweet knowing the end of the show was nearing, yet the atmosphere never depleted. The set-list was curated flawlessly. The crowd got to experience old, new and unreleased music. There was no quitting with fan favourite ‘Truck Song’. Esme gave the wanting audience a chance to sing the outro, so aptly we decided it to scream it back. ‘It was always you, everything you do, I’d love you’- the lyrics seemed so fitting. ‘Too Far Gone’ similarly continued the joyous, excited energy, ending the show in the way it started- high tempo.
Esme Emerson and everyone involved created a 10/10 night. If the show was anything to go by, it’s only a matter of time until they’re a household name- evidence of the foothold the diaspora holds in the indie music scene alongside Wasia Project and Cathy Jain.
